Land-Based Learning in Mohkinstsis

On this family-friendly, pay-what-you-can walk, you’ll learn about Indigenous ways of knowing and being in nature from Elder Pablo Russell.

Guest Speaker: Elder Pablo Russell

Pablo Russell grew up in the Blackfoot tribe with his grandparents. Pablo's grandparents were of an older generation and embraced a traditional way of Indigenous life, where the oral tradition of knowledge and mythologies were central - that's why Pablo possess tremendous historical and practical knowledge concerning the Prairie Indians' original way of life - and like his grandparents before him, he is an excellent storyteller.

Based on both the buffalo and Indian traditions, Pablo teaches people about leadership and mental health, as well as personal and spiritual development. Growing up has given him a very solid foundation in the native culture's original way of life, traditions and ceremonies, all of which led him to a job in the historical field. For 6 years Pablo worked as a historian and teacher at the Glennbow Museum, Calgary. Here he dealt mainly with research and teaching.

Today he works for the hospital Elbow River Lodge being a pioneer. With his more than 25-year long study of herbal medicine, he is the first traditional healer hired fulltime by the Canadian government through Alberta Health Services. At the Lodge, Pablo advises and works in particular with Indigenous peoples, especially in order to connect them to their own roots, because experience shows that it promotes the healing of an illness. In the evening he works at the correctional institute, Calgary Remand Center, as a spiritual advisor for the inmates.

Event Details and Logistics

Participants will be walking on less than 5km of trail and are recommended to come prepared with the following:

• Closed-toe walking shoes
• Weather appropriate clothing (e.g., warm clothing if cold) and gear (e.g., umbrella if raining)
• Any necessary medication (e.g., EpiPen or inhaler) or mobility aids

Washrooms will be available at the meeting location before and after the program.

This hike is family friendly and all ages are welcome, but youth under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a guardian. All hikes will be led by experienced and certified interpretive guides that aim to ensure the comfort and experience of all participants by mitigating the environmental hazards and offering first aid assistance if necessary.

Before arriving at the event, please fill out the following waiver form below and email it to jaclyn.angotti@cpaws.org.

• Adult waiver
• Minor waiver

Mobility Users

Thanks to Friends of Fish Creek, a mobility bus will be available to transport folks requiring it to the site! There's room on the bus for 6, so we have made that number of tickets available. Please reach out, if you have any questions.

A Note about Fees

As part of CPAWS Southern Alberta's commitment to ensuring that Indigenous knowledge keepers are fairly compensated, we are offering tiered ticket pricing. The estimated value of this event is $50 per guest, however we encourage you to pay whatever you feel comfortable with.

Note that if (for any reason) you are unable to pay, you are still more than welcome to attend! No one will be excluded based on their financial situation. Please reach out to jaclyn.angotti@cpaws.org for more information.